thread for adding up the number of driver's license tests failed by ilxors

2 (once fairly in nz for being a complete duffer and once most unfairly in florida because the testing cop was an officious dick)

1 (failed to stop for a horse that was waiting to cross a road)

i think i'm on 5

mostly roundabouts

1 (waited to long to get a renewal; they had me sit down right then and there and take the DC written driving test without having ever seen the book. Oops.)

sorry can't add anything here

Passed on the first try.

1 (not enough mirror + clipped a kerb while finding my racing line)

1 (failed to stop for a horse that was waiting to cross a road)

Without wishing to make light of what must have been a disappointment, but there must be a dreadful pun here somewhere

Pretty sure I must've posted about this before, but I'm on 6, and I haven't passed. Not that I've tried for 16 years. I kinda figured "they" just don't want me to drive. Especially after the last one, which was some bullshit.

sorry can't add anything here

― unw? j.......n (darraghmac), Thursday, March 13, 2014 8:19 PM Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

well so you should be, 2+1+5+1 is not difficult.

Think his brain is too addled tbh

Failed my theory a few years ago by one point because of the STUPID STUPID hazard perception test, which is totally unrealistic and illogical.

Thing is I want to have learnt by June so I can drive around France on my holidays. Thinking of doing a crash course. Will it work? I did take a bunch of lessons back in 2007.

I found the theory test really easy but that was in 1997 and I gather it's changed since then.

In the US, I passed on my first attempt. In the UK, I haven't even tried to learn.

xp right, crushed the theory test in 98 but there was none of that hazard perception business.

lol that britishes have a "theory" component to their driving tests.

come to the USA, my friends. we'll give drivers licenses to ANYONE.

except me that one time.

The actual driving part of my test was making three lefts and 'parallel parking' between two poles that were 20 feet apart

1 - written test in California. After I failed, they gave me a copy of the test with the answers and told me to come back an hour later so I went to the Taco Bell across the street, memorized it, then went back and passed with 100% correct.

The only driving test I took was when I was 16.

What are the hazards in the Hazard Perception Test?

Twice. Really pissed off about the second time I failed it. I took a lot of lessons beforehand. It's hard for me to shake the bad habits, I guess. At least in this country, you can still drive away on a provisional licence!

the reversing around a kerb thing and not looking at rear view mirror screwed me up

Hazard perception is fucking ridiculous. You watch a simulation video on a touchscreen and have to press the screen when you notice a potential hazard. There's a window of opportunity in which to hit the screen and if you press it too many times or not enough times you fail. When I did it, the simulation showed me a video of my own high street, so I was immediately distracted thinking 'oh that's Letchworth, oh I know that guy crossing the road'. IRL I don't think I'd be that surprised to find myself in Letchworth. That's not the problem though, the issue was when I was presented a long, curved, tree-lined avenue. I could clearly see through the trees that there were children playing in the road further up ahead, so naturally I touched the screen. Apparently I pressed this too early and should have waited till I was about to hit them before I pressed it. Point is, it's not a natural driving environment. You're very aware that you're watching a five minute video and that hazards are bound to occur at some point in that video. It's not like real life at all.

It cost £27 to do that test. I failed by one point. Didn't go back to driving again.

I still have a paper provisional license. I doubt this is acceptable any more. Should really get it updated.

I had to take a written test to get a New York license!

I had a right bastard one time that made me do my manoeuvres on a hill - reverse round corner & 3 point turn - I managed to do them as well but the fucker still found something else to fail me on.

I have had about a billion lessons at considerable expense (srsly I am too embarrassed to say how long I've been having lessons for) and no tests yet.

I would really like to say "ok, it's clear driving's not for me" but everyone goes on about bla bla essential life skill etc and my instructor has been creating the impression for the last billion-10 of my lessons that I'm nearly ready so I keep stupidly falling for the sunk costs fallacy.

Srsly think I might be dyspraxic. Can't learn to drive, can't ride a bike cz no sense of balance, even hate climbing ladders or standing on a chair to change a light bulb, always rubbish at sport, can't do needlework or cook a meal with more than two components to be ready on time. But, y'know, I've diagnosed myself with every (develop)mental difficulty on the internet and most of them might be just slightly made-up excuses.

Is "Reverse Around Corner" like "backing out of a driveway"?

Not really. You have to reverse round a corner keeping a reasonable distance from the kerb iirc.

I don't believe I've ever had to reverse around a corner in 20 years of driving, other than to get out of a driveway or parking space.

0 fails

but i let my license lapse after several years of mostly not driving, and then had to take the driving test for the first time ever in my 30s (i got out of it the first time in my teens because i was certified by my driver's ed instructor). without having been behind a wheel in forever.

i nearly failed. i got docked for things like driving faster than 10 or whatever in a mall parking lot (the testing station was in back of a big mall). and since i was nervous i kept trying to stay cool: but i got docked repeatedly for not having both hands on the wheel.

this was right after getting a perfect score on the written part.

3 (various reasons, actually one reason--extreme anxiety due to stranger in car--manifesting itself in various ways).

twice

2 (first one because I passed a cyclist a liiittle too close for his comfort (his yelping after we were passed probable didn't help either), second one was unnecessary hairsplitting imo)

Failed the written part once, passed the driving part on the first try.

Still don't know from how far away a car's license plate should be visible at night, but I can parallel park like nobody's business.

I have never even tried.

when I passed mine it was New Year's Eve. "You're the best driver I've had all day." "All year?" "I wouldn't go that far."

i technically never passed mine, finished below the points but only because the instructor (who clearly was trying to rush things as much as possible) pulled up my emergency brake while she got in the car in one swift motion and i never noticed and started to drive with it on. had no idea "release the emergency brake" was the first part of the test. she was mean throughout the test but pitied me anyway and gave me the extra point at the end cause i clearly had no idea the brake was up. it was a good decision cause i am literally the only decent driver in maryland

i didn't realize the instructors were allowed to sabotage your car before the test even began, wtf.

failed the written once, failed the driving once. when i failed the driving test my instructor was the mean blonde lady who was notorious for failing high school students, but in retrospect it's more likely we were all just terrible drivers.

failed twice. both times at the same junction of Queens Road and Beverley Road. I still avoid driving through there even now 10ish years later.

Failed once. Instructor said 'I'm Mr X, and I'll be examining you today, and this *man gets into back of car* is Mr Y, who will be examining me today'. I'd never driven with anyone in the back. Failed on hesitation, so at least I was true to myself.

+5, less than 10

Failed the learner's license test twice years ago, still haven't retaken it yet.

lol thomas

0 so far - but should have first tet in May/June.

Good luck and hope you don't make it to four tet

Failed three times. All before the introduction of the theory and hazard perception (which just makes me think of the Dukes of Hazard) tests. 1st time, the examiner had to use the brake on his side of the car (which is an instant fail) within 30 seconds of the test starting. 2nd time, I nearly sideswiped a motorcyclist on a roundabout. 3rd time, I didn't check the mirrors often enough. That was nearly twenty years ago and I haven't tried driving a car since. At work there's a golf buggy type car that's used for getting around the site. It doesn't require a driving license but I won't ever drive it (not that anyone's asked me to and there'd probably be insurance reasons why not as I'm temp staff).

3 fails, but 2 passes so I think that almost cancels out the failure, right?
Passed first time in US, failed x2 in UK when I was a petrified teen, passed second time as an adult.

Hazard perception is balls but you can practise it online to work out what the hell they're trying to get you to do - it's not intuitive. In the actual one they failed me a question because I pressed the button too many times and they thought I was trying to cheat.

Btw driving has always been this enormous 'thing I apparently can't do' - for about 15 years - and within about 1 month of passing and getting a car I had learned more/improved way more than ever before so it's now something I am p confident about.

Passed on the first try.

Wow, the test must be harder in the UK. Either that or you all suck at driving.

My wife once took the written test and realized too late that there was a second side to it, which she had left blank. She still passed. USA!

I've never failed, and don't see why/how I could. I'm so grandfathered into our safe driver system I just renew by mail as I need to.

Wow, the test must be harder in the UK.

Yeah, we're pretty hardcore. Everyone lols when I tell them what the US test involved (i.e. not much). I dread to think how Americans find driving in the UK?

(pass rates for first attempts are under 50% nationally)

US tests differ by state + even areas in states have different requirements. acc to my wife from chicago, they don't have to do parallel parking - whereas we do in philly area :(

Passed in one try, and yep, Illinois was a cakewalk. The whole test took less than five minutes.

And the Chicago area has by far the shittiest drivers I've ever encountered in the US.

1

almost failed US driving test - I was so focused on not grinding gears and coming to complete stops that I forgot to even glance at my speedometer even once and apparently did the whole test roughly 5mph over the limit. Tester was kinda mad about it afterwards - he literally said "Technically you pass but I wanted to fail you"

hey man, do what you gotta do

I thought you all drove automatics!

idk? the car I learned in was Mr Veg's manual, you do your test in whatever car you bring with you.

i failed twice in ny. we had to parallel park behind a car. i think it was the testers' fault. the third guy i had was nice even though i got so nervous i turned right when he said to turn left and i made a couple other mistakes. i am now the best driver in maryland.

1 (written)

I thought you all drove automatics!

The last car I bought in 2000 had manual transmission (and automatic was much more expensive) but apparently since then it's become less commonly available in new cars.

also no-one will steal a manual (according to my Brit friends in the US)

It's been nine years since I've owned a car at all so I couldn't speak to that but nobody tried to steal that one.

I'm learning automatic - but that doesn't include the instructor applying the break.

also no-one will steal a manual (according to my Brit friends in the US)

― kinder, Sunday, March 16, 2014 1:06 PM (14 minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

Pretty much, yep:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/01/16/car-thieves-stick-shift-foiled-massachusetts_n_4609801.html

my 1 actual fail was my first Aus test - wheel up on the curb during a botched parallel park

oh the shame :(

yeah manual transmission has nearly disappeared in america, i don't know if it's ppl not ever having learned how to drive stick or if ppl just need to multitask too much while driving

Didn't realize manual was fading.

My first cars were all manual. Thought I was a grown-up when I finally got an automatic. "Now I can drive and eat a cheeseburger at the same time!"

I think pretty much the only new cars you can easily get it on are highish-end enthusiast dealies. And dealers know there's no point to stocking manual Fiestas if no one can even test drive them.

I suspect it's mostly down to more and more people never having learned; I have friends in their 40s who have never driven standard. I actually miss it, though; my first car was a standard, but my two cars after it were/are automatics (although most minivans were never available with standard anyway).

I learned on a manual and 2 out of 3 cars I've owned were manual but if I were to get another car, even if I could get a manual I would get an automatic. The less I have to worry about while driving the better.

The things that come standard now irk me. I would love to buy a car (and save money) by getting a new one without power locks, power windows, CD player or auto transmission. I've never driven a car that had GPS on it or had DVD players in the backseat, and I'm afraid I'll be forced to buy that crap on the next one.

I'll keep things like the defroster and passenger rear-view mirror. I'm not a Luddite, for god's sakes.

i like manual when you're speeding up on the freeway voooom (chik) voooooooom (chik) VOOOOOOOOM

so good

i hate manual in traffic jams

OTM.

Manual's also great in the snow. But it sucks at a drive-thru.

I learned on a manual after driving an automatic in the States and thought I'd want to get an automatic as soon as I could, but now I like doing the gears :)

2 failed tests so far :(

First one, hit the accelerator when I meant to hit the brake.

Second time, botched turn in the road and undue hesitation :(

Dammit.

7 :(

1 (don't remember why, but it was a fair cop)

five tests taken, four fails achieved \o/

i'e been driving legally and regularly since i was 15 but tbh if i had to drive on the wrong side of the road i'd almost certainly fail as well

;)

In theory I should be able to do it, I can drive on lessons, but I get so nervous and shaky I do stupid things on the test, and it's so easy to fail. I had to do country lanes and one of the things my instructor had told me was important there was that if the speed limit goes up (it was 60) I have to make sure to do more than 30 or they'll fail me for going too slow. Which resulted in the examiner telling me to slow down and I knew that was it (it was). Then I got another fail for blocking a side road which I thought was a bit harsh, it wasn't a Keep Clear or anything and I was there for a few seconds at most, but I guess I'll hopefully remember not to do that again. The examiner said it could cause road rage, and I thought, no, what causes road rage is the person with road rage, if they can't handle tiny inconvenience like that maybe *they* shouldn't be driving, but whatever.

My mum failed hers about 6 times until she passed when she was 40, but is a very good driver. I've never even taken driving lessons - even when a former boss offered a payrise and to pay for my first few ones, I turned him down. Because I know I am not fit to be behind the controls of a vehicle and never will be either.

I failed 4, passed my fifth.

But hey, I'm an official Advanced Driver now!

i passed my first but i didn't even attempt it until i was 24

when i had driver's ed in school the driver's ed teacher passed me, but called my mom after and told her he'd only passed me because he never wanted to be in a car with me again and to not let me out on the road under any circumstances

v ethical!

1 - Sydney - Didnt stop at a stop sign. Just kind of gave way.

1. Never bothered since.

(I wasn't paying for the lessons or the test, otherwise I wouldn't have bothered)

... at all)

oh wait i can do this. took my test once. five major faults and 30 minor faults and at one point the adjudicator or whatever tf they are had to apply the passenger side brakes because i’d misjudged a gap.

never bothered since, but excitingly for all london based road users and pedestrians i am thinking of giving it another go next year.

sorry CP :(

I have never taken a test but I have had probably well over 20x as many lessons for my 0 tests as any other human has needed per test

my last instructor did not turn up to my next scheduled lesson, contact me or answer the phone after I misjudged turning into my own road which I'd turned into every week for a billion lessons and terrified some poor mother and kid coming the other way :(

sorry CP
The test is the worst bit, you're kind of second-guessing a lot of stuff like that
Mr kinder is starting lessons soon eeeek

I see I answered this 4 years ago. My daughter has her test next week, which is making me feel very old.

still 7!!!!!!!!!!!111111111!!!!!!!!!!!!!

you know what they say, 8th time lucky

wait is that good or bad

lol it means last time I revived this thread I'd failed 7 times. this time I have still failed 7 times. but I've had 8 tests. what do you think? :D

hurrah

congrats!!

:)

Zero fails. He told me take a corner which I ignored. He was pissed off. I made a Kundera related joke so we talked about the book. Lol. I fully expected to have failed but he said:"You passed but there's room for improvement." Lol